1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to PC cards and more particularly to PC cards configured to hold subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
2. Description of Related Art
Today, users reliance on wireless communication continues to steadily increase. This reliance includes the use of wireless communication with laptop computers. These laptop computers have the ability to send and receive data, such as files and other attachments, using wireless PC cards such as wireless modems. The wireless PC cards typically used in wireless communication applications include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card.
The SIM card, which is interchangeable with PC cards, contains data specific to a user such as a telephone number, other telephone numbers which the user may contact and the like. A user may replace a SIM card in a PC card with another SIM card, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,748 (""748). As shown therein, a PC card 30 is configured to hold a small smart card C. In the ""748 patent, the PC card 30 includes upper and lower half-shells 32,34 and an insertion slot 80 which attaches to the PC card 30 with a hinge. The smart card C fits into the PC card 30 through the insertion slot 80 when the insertion slot is an open position. Therefore, in order to place a smart card C into the PC card 30, a user opens the insertion slot 80 and slides the smart card C through the insertion slot 80.
In order to eject the smart card C from the PC card 30, a user inserts an implement, such as a toothpick, into a notch 114. Upon insertion of the implement, a user pushes the smart card C within the PC card 30 until a portion of the smart card C protrudes from the insertion slot 80. Upon protrusion, the user manually pulls the smart card C from the PC card 30 since the PC card 30 lacks the capability to automatically eject the smart card C from the PC card 30.
As may be appreciated, the application of the implement through the notch 114 may damage internal components of the PC card if the user is not careful upon insertion of the implement. In addition, the PC card 30 does not provide a way to automatically eject the smart card C from the PC card 30. Furthermore, the hinged configuration of the insertion slot 80 unnecessarily complicates the overall design of the PC card in that the hinge may fail, thereby decreasing the overall reliability of the PC card 30. The configuration of the PC card 30 also reduces the overall structural integrity of the PC card 30 since the insertion slot 80 and the notch 114 allow flexing of the PC card 30 during normal usage of the PC card 30. Moreover, the insertion slot 80 and the notch 114 do not allow the PC card 30 to remain leak-proof. During normal usage of the PC card 30, moisture may seep through the insertion slot 80 into the PC card 30, thereby possibly damaging the smart card C and the PC card 30.
In addition to ""748, U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,706 (""706) discloses a PC card 10 which allows for removal of a chip card 20. The PC card 10 of ""706 includes a top portion 86 having an aperture 24 for passage of the chip card 20 onto a frame 22 within the PC card 10. The frame 22 mounts below the top portion 86 and a lid 26, which slides on rails 28 of the frame 22, closes upon insertion of the chip card 20. The configuration of the frame 22 allows fitment of the chip card 20 within the frame 22.
In order to place the chip card 20 into the PC card 10, a user slides the lid 26 into an open position and drops the chip card 20 into the frame 22. After dropping the chip card 20 into the frame 22, the user slides the lid 26 into a closed position. If the user decides to remove the chip card 20 from the PC card 10, the user slides the lid 26 into the open position, reaches into the PC card 10 and pulls the chip card 20 out of the frame 22 and out of the PC card 10.
As users will appreciate, the PC card 10 does not provide a way to automatically eject the chip card 20 from the PC card 10. Instead, a user must physically reach into the PC card 10 and extract the chip card 20 from the PC card 10. The small size of the chip card 20 makes retrieval through the aperture 24 extremely difficult, requiring a great amount of care on the users""s part to avoid damaging both the chip card 20 and the PC card 10 during extraction of the chip card 20. The lid 26, the rails 28 and the frame 22 also increase the overall complexity of the PC card 10, thereby decreasing the reliability of the PC card 10 since the added complexity increases the possibility of failure.
In addition, the aperture 24 compromises the structural integrity of the PC card 10. The aperture decreases the overall rigidity and the ability of the PC card 10 to resist flexing from external stresses that may be placed on the PC card 10. As a result, the overall reliability of the PC card 10 reduces due to the weakness of the overall structure of the PC card 10 resulting from the aperture 24. Moreover, the aperture 24 does not allow the PC card 10 to remain leak-proof. Thus, moisture may seep into the PC card 10 via the aperture 24, thereby increasing the possibility of damage to the chip card 20 and the PC card 10. In addition to allowing the possibility of moisture admittance, the relatively large size of the aperture 24 allows radio frequency (RF) emissions from the PC card 10. Therefore, the PC cards described in ""748 and ""706 do not present an attractive solution to a user wishing to use a PC card having the capability to insert and remove small electronic cards such as the chip card 20 due to the complexity and unreliability of the PC cards 10 and 30.
Therefore, a need to exists to provide a PC card which allows for insertion and removal of electronic cards from the PC card. The new device should allow for easy insertion and removal of electronic cards from the PC card while maintaining overall structural integrity of the PC card. In addition, this new device should provide automatic ejection of electronic cards from the PC card while minimizing the amount of parts present in the PC card.
The present invention fills the aforementioned needs by providing a PC card which releasably engages a SIM card. The PC card allows for easy insertion and automatic removal of a SIM card from the PC card.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a PC card which releasably engages of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card is disclosed. The PC card comprises a connector at a first end and a SIM carriage at an end opposite the connector. The connector facilitates connectivity between the PC card and a module such that the PC card provides communication capability to the module. The configuration of the SIM carriage allows releasable engagement of the SIM card with the PC card. The SIM carriage provides connectivity to allow communication between the SIM card and the PC card. The SIM carriage includes a sleeve, a locking mechanism and an ejection assembly. The sleeve holds the SIM card when the SIM card inserts into the SIM carriage. Upon insertion into the sleeve, the locking mechanism secures the SIM card with the SIM carriage and the PC card. When a user deactivates the locking mechanism, the ejection assembly automatically ejects the SIM card from the SIM carriage and the PC card.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a SIM carriage for engaging a SIM card with a PC card is disclosed. The PC card includes a connector located at an end opposite the location of the SIM carriage within the PC card such that the orientation minimizes the loss of structural integrity and rigidity of the PC card. The SIM carriage includes an ejection assembly, a sleeve and a locking mechanism. The ejection assembly allows for insertion of the SIM card within the sleeve. The sleeve holds the SIM card within the SIM carriage such that the SIM card engages with the PC card. Upon insertion of the SIM card within the sleeve, the locking mechanism secures the SIM card with the SIM carriage. Upon deactivation of the locking mechanism, the ejection assembly automatically ejects the SIM card from the SIM carriage.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a PC card for providing communication capability to a module is disclosed. The PC card comprises a connector at a first end and a SIM carriage at an end opposite the connector. The connector establishes connectivity between the PC card and the module such that the PC card provides communication capability to the module. The configuration of the SIM carriage provides connectivity between a SIM card and the PC card. In order to provide connectivity between the SIM card and the PC card, the SIM carriage includes a locking mechanism and an ejection assembly. The locking mechanism secures the SIM card with the SIM carriage and the PC card. The ejection assembly automatically ejects the SIM card from the SIM carriage and the PC card when a user disengages the locking mechanism.
Therefore, as may be appreciated, the present invention provides a PC card which releasably engages a SIM card. The present invention provides a SIM carriage which automatically ejects a SIM card, thereby avoiding the possibility of damaging the PC card which may arise when a user manually ejects the SIM card from the PC card. Moreover, the configuration of the SIM carriage within the PC card, where the location of the connector is opposite to the location of the SIM carriage within the PC card, minimizes the loss of structural integrity and rigidity of the PC card, thereby increasing the reliability of the PC card.